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can be a tool in your toolkit to help ease the pain you are feeling. Researchers have been studying the link between mental well-being and exercise for decades. There are a mountain of studies that have been performed on every demographic imaginable, and they all agree that exercise helps. Some of these reasons include, according to Kelsey Graham (2017):
•Increased Neurotransmitter activity
•Improved self-esteem (which is commonly low in those who suffer from
depression)
•Release of stored energy, which can alleviate anxiety •Serves as a distraction or coping mechanism •Creates opportunities for social interaction (para. 3)
Pilates has helped me achieve all of the above. From improving brain function to being an outlet for movement, Pilates has helped me achieve so much more than I had ever imagined.
The History of Pilates in Brief
Before I dissect the bulleted list, I will give a brief history and overview of Pilates so that you understand a little more about it. Joseph Pilates was born in the late 1800s in Germany and was often ill as a child. He hated being so sick and developed an exercise routine to help him combat his childhood illnesses. As a circus performer, he moved to England in the early 1900s to find work. Unfortunately, World War I emerged after a year he was in the country so he and all other Germans were interred in England for the length of the war. While at the internment camp, Pilates and other fitness enthusiasts kept their cohorts moving with his routines. They stayed healthy! His
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